All I Can Give
by MissMandS
Summary: Liv's duty as Hlín is to protect and raise her niece, left behind by her sister's death. That and run a store that is one half flowers, one half pot. She's an outlet for him and he's something she can lean on. But he has a wife and it's not her duty to help him, to want what she cannot have; especially not when her life is what his wife wants but can't quite reach.
1. Chapter 1

In her arms is the firm, solid weight and warmth of her niece, quiet even as the snow swirls down around them, covering the ground and threatening to bury the graves. Liv stares at the name on the tombstone, tightening her grip on her niece with each passing second.

The trouble had started not long after her sister became pregnant. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion turned stressful when the doctors announced her pregnancy would be a high risk one, full of possible complications. And there was the occasional complication from fluctuating blood pressure, not gaining enough weight, to gestational diabetes. But the labor had come and was a normal albeit very painful labor.

Liv can remember the nurse's words: placenta has ruptured and then she watched as her sister was wheeled away for what an emergency C-section which the doctors hoped could save them both. It was through a C-section that the doctors wheeled out a baby girl in an incubator with oxygen over her small face. It was through a C-section that her sister weakened and laid there exhausted, too drugged on painkillers to feel the pain of her surgery.

Liv stood by her after she came to and after the baby was finally allowed from her incubator, tubes still in her nose and monitors on her chest. Liv stood with her shirt open, the baby pressed against her bare skin, wide eyes looking around in something that was almost confusion. Her sister looked so happy as she reached up to touch the bottom of a tiny foot that peeked from the blankets.

"I'm not going to leave this hospital you know. Doctors told me all my life that I couldn't have kids and now I do. And it was such a journey, huh Paisley?" Liv stood silent, unsure of what to say, what to do. She wanted to object, to fight her sister on this and make promises but she couldn't. Instead she let her sister touch and coo and fuss until finally her hand fell away.

"She is the goddess Iðunn; I can feel it. It's your duty Liv as Hlín to protect her and keep her safe." There was a multitude of things she wanted to say: that she was too young, she wasn't even sure how to be a mother or if she wanted children. But their parents had said goodbye already, had said their prayers over her and even begged the gods to save her, to have mercy and spare. But they knew too it was a hopeless thing that their daughter's time was over.

"Okay." And as her last duty to her sister Liv leaned down and kissed her forehead, lingering when she heard her sister sniffle and saw the tears that rolled down her sister's cheeks.

"Go to sleep." Liv encouraged and watched as she closed her eyes. For a while she sat and listened until finally the machine stopped its beeping, flat lining and echoing in the room.

Liv stares at the grave and tightens her grip on Paisley again, lifting her closer to her chest. Her sister had performed her duty as Gefjon, giving her daughter the gift of life and in exchange giving hers up. And now it was her turn to perform her duty. With a final look at the grave Liv turns and walks away, looking down at the sleeping Paisley.

"It's okay, I'm here. I've got you." Liv promises quietly as she stares down at the dark hair covering her head.

"I promise my little goddess that nothing will happen to you." And she walks towards the car which waits, filled to the brim with their things. There's a plane to catch, a new house to be settled in and a new store to open. All without her sister Liv thinks bitterly as she buckles the car seat.

* * *

Look at that, another Almighthy Johsons fic, this time for Mike. I just want to smother all of them with love. Except for Axl. I just want to scream stop getting engaged to people for fucks sake. Writing this with a migraine and listening to Skater Boy so excuse any mistakes because I am exhausted.


	2. Chapter 2

Liv's father believes in a couple things above all else: cameras are a necessary thing in everyday life because each moment was a possible photography moment. And any moment could be one that someone might want to remember years down the road, even if at the time it is a rather terrible one. Because of that photos decorate their house. There are photos of her, of her parents, Paisley and even a couple of her sister. And they range from everything to her first day of school photos, professionally done photos, vacation photos to the ever terrible, gawky prom photos.

Paisley dominates most of the wall these days, not only in the house but in the store. Part of the reason most people came into their store was because of the pot, the others for some of the herbs they sold and the rest came for the flowers or for Paisley. Liv had seen many people walk by the door, staring at their phones and focused on something else who stopped, did a double take and stepped back to look at the photos of Paisley which were plastered on their front windows. And a lot of times they left with flowers, pot brownies or some herbs.

Today is no exception. Liv crouches behind the counter searching with one hand for a packet of seeds and with the other attempting to hold Paisley at bay. The child sits in her walker, bare feet scrambling across the floor in an attempt to ram herself into the back of Liv's ankles. From above the counter she can hear coos and the occasional giggle.

"Beautiful…How old is she?" Liv looks up to see the face of a young, blonde woman staring not at her but at Paisley who's turned her attention to one her toys.

"Thank you; she's about six months old." Liv says and hisses through clenched teeth as Paisley finally manages to ram the back of her ankles. She turns to look at the baby only to find her sucking on one of her fists and smiling up at her.

"I'm trying to get pregnant right now. My husband Mike and I have been doing in vitro fertilization treatments but they keep failing." The woman says quietly, her face falling. Liv's chest twinges and she curls her fingers into fists. She will not reach out to this woman. She will not touch her. She will be professional about this.

"And how can I help you today ma'am? Are you looking for some herbs? Some flowers perhaps? Or some pot?" The woman wrinkles her nose at the last suggestion, looking thoroughly disgusted at the suggestion.

"No thank you, that would be much better suited to my husband's cousin Olaf. The man smokes and eats, that's about all he's good for it seems. My um, my um, ex-fiancé Rob who believed that things like flowers and their meanings could you know…Help with whatever their intended purposes were?"

"It honestly depends on if you believe in them or not. What message are you hoping to convey?"

"I'd like my husband to know that I appreciate all his hard work lately and love him for putting up with all these mood swings from the hormones. And that I really, really do want this baby with him and I do want things to work out for us." The woman's voice cracks and she sniffs, lifting a hand to cover her mouth.

"It's okay; I think that I know exactly what will work for you." Liv says quietly and with one hand scoops up Paisley, the other expertly grabs handfuls of white Heathers and with a slight lingering scoops up some orchids.

"Orchids for many children and white Heathers for wishes come true." Liv says as she hands over the bouquet. The woman's face beams as she lifts the bouquet to her nose, blinking furiously as she once again sniffs, fanning at her eyes. In her arms Paisley begins to fuss, leaning against her neck and whining. She throws an apologetic look at the woman who looks at Paisley with a somewhat longing, almost jealous look.

"I'm so sorry ma'am; my mother will ring you up. I hope you have a wonderful day and thank you for choosing us." Liv turns and walks off to the break room. As she goes through the process of preparing for Paisley's nap: warming a bottle, grabbing a diaper, all while shushing her and adjusting lights it occurs to her the expressions on the woman's face.

She wants to be the one here in Liv's place. She wants to be the one hearing the fussing, hearing the crying. She wants to be the one watching Paisley's face steadily grow redder and redder as Liv promises that almost, the bottle is almost ready. Liv considers that as she sits there in the dark with Paisley's head resting in the crook of her arm; listening to the almost silence.

* * *

The thought stays with her the rest of the day, as she deals with other customers and goes over the meaning of other flowers, talks about the uses of herbs. Even as the store is closing up and Liv watches as her mother locks up the store, brushing pieces of her silvery blonde hair back into its bun with a sigh.

"Hey, mom, could I ask you something?"

"You once asked me why babies came out of the vagina when butts seemed so much easier so I don't see why not." Roxy says.

"I was like ten and had just learned about where babies came from. There was a customer today who was looking for some flowers to let her husband know she appreciates and loves him. But the one who told her about the flowers and their meanings was her ex-fiancé. The first thing she told me about herself when she came in was that she and her husband are currently trying to get pregnant through in vitro."

"And what's your question?"

"Paisley got really fussy as I was getting ready to ring her up so I took her back to the break room and I saw the look on this woman's face. It was this look that was so wanting, so…Not quite jealous but just really sad. Like she wanted to ask why it wasn't her."

"In vitro is a process and drains you emotionally, physically, mentally and financially. You know that your father and I went through that trying to get pregnant with you. It is a very difficult process honey, one that leaves you wanting and wondering sometimes why it wasn't you when that couple just down the hallway is celebrating because theirs worked." Liv glances in the rearview mirror and wonders why, she's the one to have this future that someone else wants, someone else wants to have and celebrate over when she can't even bring herself to want it for herself now.

* * *

Not crazy about the chapter but first chapters really aren't usually too big and crazy. I am stupid and just realized today that instead of a picture of Mike I had a picture of Kili so I got that fixed. Please leave me a review and let me know how you are liking this, what you think, ect, ect.

I am currently exhausted and about to pass out so editing will come in the morning whenever I get up and have some form of caffeine.


	3. Chapter 3

The mood is a dour one in both the home and the flower shop the next day. Liv wakes up with a headache, throbbing at her temples and spreading downward. From further in the house she can hear Paisley fussing and her mother trying in vain to soothe her while her father shuffles around. No coffee has been made yet by her mother and no pot smoked by her father. Because today is her sister's birthday. The only difference between this year and the previous years is that there will be no cake or presents, there won't be any special dinners.

This birthday is spent in the flower shop making arrangements with a string of curses for each prick of her fingers on thorns; her mother is bent over a clipboard and tapping a pen irritably against her cheek. In the back of the shop she smells her father more than she can hear him, the scent of weed strong, his voice strained as it reaches them. And it almost goes completely planned; as uneventful and dour as they plan for it to be. There are cupcakes between the four of them, complete with frosting and sprinkles that are almost, almost the right color. That is almost, almost Lee's favorite color.

And things almost go completely as planned, as uneventful and dour as they plan for it to be and then Paisley lets out a cough. It goes ignored at first, Liv giving her a small pat on the back and then waiting. She lets out another one and this time it's more forced and there are concerned looks being passed around the table now as she scrapes her chair back.

"Paisley what's the matter baby? Hey, hey Paisley…" Liv lifts her from the high chair, panic seizing her chest as the baby continues her coughing fit, face turning a bright red. Liv flips her over onto the palm of her hand and begins to pat her on her back. Her parents rise from the table, hands reaching for Paisley who gives a cough and then goes limp against Liv's hand. There is a moment of stillness and then there is screaming from her mother who stares at Paisley, grabbing her face and tilting her head, trying to make her breathe, to make something, anything come out of her mouth. Dalton nods his head despite the fact that the dispatcher cannot see him, repeating over and over that they need an ambulance please. And Liv stares at the limp baby in her hands whose face seems to pale with each passing second.

She stares at her hands in the car as they drive behind the ambulance, as they walk into the hospital and as they stop outside of the room where the paramedics disappear with Paisley. Her mother leans back against the wall, tapping her fingers against her chin and staring up at the ceiling. Liv stares at her, at the rigid set of her jaw, the stiffness of her shoulders and the shaking of her hands. She should stand up and hug her, offer her some sort of comfort. But she's not exactly sure what she's supposed to say or do. So she looks towards her father who sits with his head bowed against his hands.

"I think that I'm going to go to the vending machines and get us some water." She has no idea if there's even anything other than lint in her pockets. She doesn't have her purse or her wallet. But still she stuffs her hands into her pockets and wanders towards the vending machines, her already knotted up stomach tightening up further as she stares over the different drinks. She may as well be thinking about drinking ashes.

"Excuse me. Could I sneak past you there, oh I know you. You sold me the flowers yesterday." The woman's face is familiar but doesn't have a name to go with it. She looks as anxious as her mother though, wringing her hands and shooting nervous smiles at Liv. "I guess that it's just one of those weeks huh? First we have a meteor shower and then an earthquake and now…People in the hospital." Liv stands for a moment, her hands still stuffed into her pockets and then she's clearing her throat, nodding at the woman.

"Yeah, yeah…Sorry, I'm sorry. My head hasn't been attached to my body here lately. I didn't even introduce myself yesterday, I'm Liv. Did your husband like the flowers?"

"Val and yeah, he loved them. Do you mind if I ask why you're here?" And again it feels like her hands are holding the weight of Paisley's limp body again trying to find some sort of way to make her move. Her hands go back into her pockets, her fingers curling up.

"We were eating and Paisley started coughing so I turned her over onto my hand. And…She just went sort of limp in my hands when I was trying to pat her on the back." And it's not so much the fact that Paisley is hurting; she's terrified and worried of course .But its' the fact that she's failed Lee. It's the fact that she didn't protect her. Val doesn't know this of course but still she lets out a sympathetic noise and looks genuinely worried as she reaches for Liv's arm only to pull back because they are still strangers.

"My brother-in-law Axl got shot in the chest with an arrow by a vodka girl. I know; I know that sounds absolutely insane doesn't it? Vodka girl, scantily clad she shot him in the chest with in an arrow…It's a messed up week." Two others are coming down the hallway behind Val now, a tan, long legged man who walks with hurried strides. And a shorter man with semi long hair and an irritated expression on his face as he glares at the taller man.

"Olaf we're for Axl not for…What exactly are you doing?" The taller man, Olaf either doesn't hear him or blatantly ignores him as he stops and takes a deep inhale, holding up one of his hands.

"Buggery bollocks I know that smell. Excuse me Val; I'm just going to squeeze past you here. You smell…" Olaf gives no warning as he presses his nose against Liv's hair and straightens up, nodding his head excitedly. "Do you know Dalton?"

"Olaf let us remember that we came here to tell Val that the doctor has news about Axl which she will share when we are all there." Liv takes her chance to escape, ducking around the two men. She hurries down the hallway without so much as a goodbye to them or to Val who stares at her retreating back worriedly as she rushes.

She nearly slams into her father who grabs hold of her shoulders, frowning as he looks at her with a worried, pinched expression on his face. He runs a hand over her face, smoothing the wrinkles on her forehead and down her cheek.

"Slow down Liv…Everything's okay, you're okay. Paisley is awake though she's a little bit of a grouch. Your mom wanted to talk to you about something before you two go back into the room. I'm going to stay in the room with Paisley and talk to the nurses, see what happened, get a feel of all that." With a kiss to her forehead and a pat to her cheek he is off, replaced by her mother.

"Come with me, we need to find a storage closet or an abandoned hallway for us to talk in." The two walk past nurses, doctors, patients and others. Roxy walks with long legged strides, her gaze purposeful as she drags Liv into a storage closet and closes the door behind them, leaning back against it.

"So I am beginning to think that Lee was wrong about what she said on her deathbed. When she handed Paisley over to you and said that she could sense she was Iðunn. The signs that occurred these past few days are all signs that pointing towards Odin's return. I think she is Frigg."

"How can you be sure that she is the Frigg? She's only a baby…"

"Well when you and your sister were children, you were fiercely protective of your sister. And Lee as Gefjon was able to foresee things through her prophecies. Even if at the time they were only what her Christmas presents were going to be. That and she went back and forth between the two during her pregnancy, foreseeing one thing and then another. So it's a possibility that she could be Frigg or Iðunn. But I believe her to be Frigg with the recent events."

"Okay mom. You're losing me completely."

"These recent events going on have all pointed to Odin's return; Frigg being his wife. The doctors said her breathing, heart rate normal and could find no food in her windpipe or anything obstructing it when she came in. That makes me believe that she is the Frigg and that Odin has returned. Which means…You and I have a meeting with a group of women who I would rather tit punch then say hello."

"That sounds rather unpleasant." Liv mutters as her mother reaches for the doorknob.

"Yes well, we've not got a choice. We'll be going to a little meeting of the goddesses tomorrow." The two women step outside and begin to walk back towards Paisley's room, never noticing the stares that follow them all the way back to their room.

* * *

The next morning Liv finds her staring at her mother who clacks around the kitchen in heels, muttering curses as she grabs pans of brownies and lays them out on the counter. Her father sits at the table, feeding Paisley and not looking the least bit bothered by the fact that her mom keeps muttering curses and has now taken to slamming pot holders and oven mitts down.

"I get the feeling that someone is going to meet with the goddesses. I wish desperately that you were not of Scandinavian descent so that you would not have to deal with these women. Take it from me Liv, the stories your mother tell me are horrific."

"Yeah well if you were not Lóðurr then we probably would not get along now would we? I would have murdered you, probably by setting you on fire or running you over with the lawn mower. Or you know I think I'm more of the poisoning type. But we would probably be divorced and I would be sitting pretty on alimony while you cursed me." Liv watches as her father sits Paisley up to be burped. The baby seems to feel perfectly fine and unbothered by the trauma of last night. She doesn't even put up any fuss when spit up rolls down her chin and onto her clothes. Her father turns her around, looking almost amused by the sight of it.

"I'm going to go and get her changed." And again Liv is left with her mother who has now taken to assaulting the brownies with a knife, growling threats now beneath her breath. Liv watches her for a moment, pursing her lips and then clears her throat tentatively.

"So what's up with the brownies? Is this supposed to keep the goddesses happy or something?"

"This pan is pot brownies which are for me to keep me from giving anyone a chop to their throats. The other pan is regular brownie for anyone who wants them."

That is how Liv ends up with two pans of saran wrapped brownies in her lap and Roxy driving barefoot, her heels shoved down onto the floor besides Liv's feet and Paisley in the backseat. Roxy, already agitated only seems to grow more and more agitated with each red light and each stop sign they encounter.

"You're going to meet a few women at this place. If you tit punch, throat punch and or throw down I won't be objected. Keep glass away from me because I will bust glass bottles against things and threaten other women." Liv considers asking how exactly her mother made it through her drinking years as the car comes to a stop. Roxy takes her time to put on her heels, stepping out of the car to smoke a cigarette and then a second one. Finally she turns back to the car, cigarettes stuffed into her purse and shaking her hands out as she clears her throat.

"I'll take the brownies, you take Paisley." That's about the extent of their conversation as the two women walk up the stairs and into the enormous building that seems to tower over them. Liv keeps tossing looks towards her mother only to find her walking forwards, strides determined and her gaze steely.

"So these women, these goddesses, what should I expect?" Liv asks quietly.

"Do you remember the mean girls in high school? The popular girls that believed that everyone should bow down to them and if not their reputations deserved to be destroyed?"

"I remember more than I want to."

"Yes well some goddesses never left high school." Roxy says as the door opens. Liv finds herself staring at a short haired woman who stares at her like a bug to be examined and then stepped on when someone realizes it's not a luck bringing ladybug. All the air in her lungs seems to have gone and her mouth has suddenly become very, very dry as the woman continues to gaze at her only to nod and turn away.

"Michelle I do hope you intend to clean up that wine you're spilling all over my floor." And just like Liv is breathing again, her fingers flexing around Paisley as she realizes that the baby is staring at her; still babbling in baby talk and three women are staring directly at her.

* * *

I am so fucking sorry that it took me this long to update. I have had a shit time with writers block and just...Real life. I also rediscovered my love for cursing and remembered how much they can enhance a sentence. I am not happy with this chapter as it took me far longer than it should have to write. But that is the struggle of writers block. So enjoy it.


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